Page 34 - No Fear A Midsummer Night's Dream

No Fear Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (by SparkNotes) -34-
Original Text
If you were civil and knew courtesy, 150 You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join in souls to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so
Act 3, Scene 2, Page 7
155 To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, When I am sure you hate me with your hearts. You both are rivals, and love Hermia,
And now both rivals to mock Helena—
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
160 To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes
With your derision! None of noble sort Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul’s patience, all to make you sport.
LYSANDER
You are unkind, Demetrius. Be not so.
165 For you love Hermia. This you know I know.
And here, with all good will, with all my heart, In Hermia’s love I yield you up my part.
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love and will do till my death.
HELENA
170 Never did mockers waste more idle breath.
DEMETRIUS
Lysander, keep thy Hermia. I will none.
If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.
My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourned, And now to Helen is it home returned,
175 There to remain. LYSANDER
Helen, it is not so.
DEMETRIUS
Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear.
Look, where thy love comes. Yonder is thy dear.
Enter HERMIA
HERMIA
180 Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes. Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompense.
Act 3, Scene 2, Page 8
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found. 185 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?
Modern Text
at all, you wouldn’t treat me like this. Can’t you just hate me, as I know you do? Do you have to get together to humiliate me too? If you were real men, as you pretend to be, you wouldn’t treat a lady this way, making vows and promises and praising my beauty when I know you’re really both disgusted by me. You’re competing for
Hermia’s love, and now you’re competing to see which one of you can make fun of me the most. That’s a great idea, a really manly thing to do— making a poor girl cry! No respectable person would offend an innocent girl just to have some fun.
LYSANDER
Don’t be cruel, Demetrius. I know you love Hermia, and you know I know it. Right here, right now, I swear I’m giving up all my claims on her and handing her to you. In exchange, give up your claim to love Helena, since I love her and will love her until I die.
HELENA
Nobody’s ever gone to so much trouble just to make fun of someone.
DEMETRIUS
Lysander, keep your Hermia. I don’t want her. If I ever loved her, all that love is gone now. My love for her was temporary. Now I’ll love Helena forever.
LYSANDER
Helena, it’s not true.
DEMETRIUS
Don’t insult a deep love that you don’t understand, or you’ll pay the price. Look, here comes the woman you love.
HERMIA enters. It’s hard to see clearly in the dark of night, but it’s
easier to hear well.
I couldn’t see you, Lysander, but I heard your voice, and that’s how I found you. Why did you leave me alone so unkindly?
HERMIA